Information Design
Systems that shift the load from words onto symbols and placement, each designed from the outset to reach people across differences of language and reading ability.
Dictionary entry
- Bento Grid 2020s / Layout
Divides different kinds of information into independent boxes, giving the whole picture at a glance.
- Isotype 1920s–1940s / Layout
Translates quantity into repeated same-size symbols, making comparison readable before language.
- Schematic Transit Diagram 1933– / Layout
Discards geographic accuracy for horizontal, vertical and 45-degree lines with evenly spaced stations. Beck's 1933 London Underground diagram established it as the common language of transit maps worldwide.
- Pictogram System 1964– / Style
Unified symbol systems that name facilities and actions without language. Tokyo 1964 systematized sport and wayfinding symbols; the AIGA/DOT transportation set became the public-domain world standard.
- Stamen Map Styles (Toner, Terrain, Watercolor) 2010s– / Style
Stamen Design published three named basemap styles: Toner in high contrast black and white, Terrain built from hill shading and vegetation colour, and Watercolor made of washes with soft edges over paper texture. What changed with them is that the look of a basemap became a style you pick, not a set of colour settings you adjust. Cooper Hewitt acquired Watercolor, which was launched in 2012 and released under a Creative Commons Attribution licence.